Topsy Bot 5000
Among the purportedly numerous "highly advanced, independently thinking and evolving worker droids" created by Dr. Harrison Blackwood, Topsy Bot 5000 (usually just "Topsy") is the most devious and unruly. Topsy's original design as a Concession-Bot left him rather inarticulate physically speaking, without functional arms. Instead, the space that would've contained the motors and circuitry necessary to operate his upper limbs was dedicated to housing a functional slush machine. His arms appear to be installed merely for aesthetic purposes. It also would appear that Topsy's head itself is capable of popping popcorn. Hoses constructed into the back of his head feed butter into the supply of popcorn contained within from an unknown source. Topsy, like his fellow robot, Johnny Cylon, has no legs, instead using advanced hover technology to move about (although Cylon receives legs in an upgrade later). Topsy served at Cine-A-Sorrow Theater for an undetermined amount of time (presumaly in the 1950's or 1960's) before it was shut down as a result of the dangerous movie-related experiments conducted there by Dr. Blackwood. Decades later, when Commander Rick Wolf takes refuge from the zompocalypse within Cine-A-Sorrow Theater, Topsy and Johnny Cylon join him in watching the bad movies that Blackwood forces him to watch. Other "Topsy-Bots" have been in service at Cine-A-Sorrow Theater, such as Topsy Bot 3000, which appears in Host Segment 4 of Episode 104. It is stated that the 3000 model is considered Topsy's grandfather, suggesting a Topsy Bot 4000 exsits or exsisted. Concession-Bot's/Topsy-Bot's main function seems to have been to serve as mobile concession stands within Cine-A-Sorrow, providing customers with food and drink. On the Special Features Menu of Episode 104, Cylon states that Topsy usually runs the register at the concession stand. This would imply he also served customers there, but it is unclear how since his arms don't function. Character Overview Topsy often exhibits the qualities of a sociopath, sometimes to the point that he attempts to humorously kill those around him for the sake of a prank.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRXUXfSqK_s This behavior usually clashes with fellow prisoners at Cine-A-Sorrow Theater, Rick and Cylon. Despite his mischievous and sometimes dangerous behavior, Topsy remains at least mostly tolerated by Rick and Cylon considers him a friend, if not a brother. Often, when circumstances call for it, Topsy acts in strong support of Rick and Cylon, suggesting that the antagonizing he subjects them to is at least intended as good-natured ribbing on his part. From Episode 101 until Episode 104, Topsy frequently seemed a womanizer, prone to telling dirty stories.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjQYj-aFHuA This seems to be less pronounced in Episode 104, when Gregory Wyatt Tinnen took over voice duties and then abandoned completely when Nick Evans finally became the permanent puppeteer / voice actor. Possibly, Topsy was involved in a relationship with a Dyson DC-19 vacuum cleanerhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjQYj-aFHuA, but this may have been merely stated for comedic effect. In addition, Topsy seems to have an interest in withcraft or the occult, probably inspired by the horror films shown at the theater. This is evidenced by his successful attempts to turn Rick into a were-gorilla in Episode 101 or Cylon into a werewolf in Episode 104 (though both spells wore off quickly). The Name Topsy's name comes from Kansas City based gourmet popcorn shop, Topsy's. The popcorn tin that is still used for the puppet's head was actually purchased from the first Topsy's (opened in 1950http://www.topsyspopcorn.com/about.php) on the Country Club Plaza. References